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The Wounded Stripe

A wound stripe is a distinction of dress bestowed on soldiers wounded in combat. It was typically worn on military uniform jackets. The British Army began awarding a brass "Wound Stripe" in 1916, with approval by King George V. The badge was worn on the left forearm, fastened through the uniform cloth. Additional badges were granted for subsequent wounds.

Shell-shock and shell concussion cases should have had the letter “W” prefixed to the report of the casualty, if it was due to the enemy; in that case the patient would be entitled to rank as “wounded” and to wear on his arm a “wound stripe”. If, however, the man’s breakdown did not follow a shell explosion, it was not thought to be “due to the enemy”, and he was to [be] labelled “Shell-shock” or “S” (for sickness) and was not entitled to a wound stripe or a pension.

The badge was reintroduced in 1944 for the Second World War, and a cloth version was introduced for use with Battle Dress however British soldiers have not been awarded wound stripes for injuries sustained in Afghanistan or Iraq.

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